There are very few simple pleasures that rival a plate of hot, buttered toast. To get that perfect slice, you need the best toasters that can deliver evenly toasted bread, every time. Some of the latest models can cope with chunky sourdough, and even cater to different toast preferences at once.
After years of testing a range of kitchen appliances, I've developed a trained eye for finding the features that make all the difference. Good value for money is what it boils down to, no matter what you’re buying – apply that to toasters, and you’re looking for models that brown toast evenly, and consistently, and that are easy to clean, as accumulated crumbs will inevitably result in a burning smell.
For this review, I got my hands on a variety of two and four-slice toasters, from basic models to sleek designer-led designs, which suit different household sizes, toast preferences and a wide range of budgets. Keep reading for the best toasters that will streamline your mornings.
How I tested
To test these toasters, I set them up in my kitchen and used them as you will be using them at home, assessing them on features, design and overall performance. My full criteria was as follows:
- Toasting performance: I put a wide variety of bread types, from supermarket white bread to homemade wholegrain sourdough, into each toaster, assessing consistency and browning evenness.
- Speed: I paid attention to how quickly each toaster worked, though this will vary, depending on the browning setting you're using. Bonus points went to those that had timers.
- Versatility: This came down to what the slots could accommodate, and how they could cater to different household types. For instance, I considered whether they were able to hold thicker or longer slices, how many slices could be toasted at once, and whether they could be toasted with different settings simultaneously.
- Ease of use: I assessed how intuitive the controls were, and how easy they were to operate. For instance, I assessed how high the carriage lifted (the higher the better, making it easier to grab small pieces of toast without risking burnt fingers), and any extra features such as timers and LED screens.
- Appearance: This is subjective to some degree, but I thought about how nicely they would slot into different kitchen decors.
- Cleaning: I assessed how easy it was to remove crumbs, and how clean they looked, even in a real, living breathing kitchen (high-shine finishes look sleek but show finger smudges very quickly).
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Rachael Penn is a journalist who specialises in home and kitchen appliances. She has tried and tested everything from the best air fryers to the best indoor pizza ovens, so has become an expert in which gadgets belong in your kitchen. As well thoroughly researching the toasters in this round-up, she’s used them as you would in your home, so you can trust that her recommendations are worth your money.
The best toasters for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Salter alchemy toaster: £49.99, Salter.com
- Best budget option – Daewoo white essentials two slice toaster: £14.99, Daewooelectricals.com
- Best for longer slices – ProCook stainless steel long slot toaster: £99, Procook.co.uk
- Best four-slice toaster – Lakeland stainless steel four-slice toaster: £59.99, Lakeland.co.uk
Salter alchemy toaster
Best: Toaster overall
Size: 18.3cm x 30cm x 28.5cm
Toaster capacity: Four slices
Functions: Defrost, reheat
Material: Stainless steel
Browning settings : Seven
Wattage : 1,850W
Why we love it
- Sleek design
- Compact for a four-slice
- Toasts quickly
Take note
- Narrow slots don't fit longer slices of bread
This is everything that a good toaster should be. It has a four-slice capacity, so ideal for a family or couples who like at least two slices of toast each. Proving that practicality doesn’t have to be boring, it has a sleek design with a metallic finish and curved edges that look good on any countertop.
Performance-wise, this toaster really shines. It delivers consistently with even browning across a range of breads, from basic white to sourdough. Although, if you do like a sourdough or homemade loaf, then you may get frustrated with the narrow slots, which aren’t quite big enough for longer slices of bread. For that, I’d recommend the ProCook four-slice toaster (£99, Procook.co.uk), which has plenty of room for slices from artisan loaves.
Really easy to use with straightforward controls, this toaster has buttons to select the reheat, defrost, and cancel functions. There’s also a small dial on the bottom that gives the option of seven browning settings to achieve your ideal shade of toast. It toasts really quickly, which is ideal for family breakfasts where waiting ages isn’t an option.
Cleaning is easy enough – the crumb tray simply slides out and slides back in when it’s been wiped clean. This, hands down, is the best toaster I tested, as it’s easy to use, quick to toast, and doesn’t take up too much space.
Buy now £49.99, Salter.com
Daewoo white essentials two-slice toaster
Best: Budget toaster
Size: 17cm x 14cm x 24.5cm
Toaster capacity: Two slices
Functions: None
Material: Plastic
Browning settings : Six
Wattage : 700W
Why we love it
- Easy to use
- Compact
- Doesn’t get hot on the outside
Take note
- Very basic functions
- Struggles to fit long slices
Ideal for anyone on a budget, this is a very basic, easy to use toaster. It doesn’t have any extra functions, such as a defrost or reheat function, but you can choose one of the six browning settings using the dial on its side.
To check on the toast as it’s cooking, you can pull the lever upwards and it’ll stop the toasting process. This lever can be lifted high, which is ideal for extracting or checking on smaller items such as crumpets. However, this toaster isn’t any good for long slices or larger than standard slices, as the slots aren’t very big.
It did a really good job of toasting our bread – it wasn’t the quickest toaster I’ve used, but it toasted my bread evenly. Cleaning it isn’t an issue as the crumb tray pops out from the bottom, while the plastic exterior means you just have to give it a quick wipe over, and you won’t need to worry about greasy fingerprints showing up, either.
Buy now £14.99, Daewooelectricals.com
Smeg two-slice toaster
Best: Retro design
Size: 19.8cm x 31cm x 19.5cm
Toaster capacity: Two slices
Functions: Reheat, defrost, bagel
Material: Stainless steel
Browning settings : Six
Wattage : 950W
Why we love it
- Retro design in lots of colours
- Bagel function
- Compact size
Take note
- Crumb tray easily pops out
- Doesn't fit long slices easily
The toaster is a work of art. If you’re into your retro kitchen appliances, then this is a must-have. It has a two-slice capacity with functions including reheat, defrost, and my favourite, a bagel setting.
It doesn’t just look the part – I was super impressed by its performance, too. It doesn’t quite fit longer slices, which need trimming down before going into the slots. However these are extra wide (presumably to fit a bagel), so if you like a doorstop chunk of bread, you’re in luck. When it comes to toasting, it consistently delivers evenly browned toast. It has six toasting levels, and even when on six, it doesn’t char the bread.
Cleaning is simple, as the crumb tray just pops out. However, this can cause a bit of an issue because it can pop out if you just knock it, and it doesn’t feel that sturdy. This toaster is pricey too, as you’d expect from Smeg, and you are paying for the design, because while it toasts well, it doesn’t have any additional features that you wouldn’t find on a basic, cheaper toaster.
Buy now £189.95, Smeguk.com
ProCook stainless steel long slot toaster
Best: Toaster for longer slices
Size: 38.5cm x 15cm x 16cm
Toaster capacity: Four slices
Functions: Reheat, defrost, cancel
Material: Stainless steel and plastic
Browning settings : Seven
Wattage : 1,600W
Why we love it
- Perfect for long or thick slices
- Stylish
Take note
- The outside gets very hot
- Stainless steel picks up fingerprints
This four-slice toaster has two slots, which are great for longer slices of toast, too. If you are toasting four large slices of bread, you’ll have to toast them vertically or two at a time.
It’s very simple to use and has seven browning settings that can be controlled using a dial, while there are buttons on the side to select reheat, defrost, and cancel. The thicker the slice, the more likely the edges were to burn slightly, but with regular slices, the bread was evenly toasted. The whole length of the bread gets toasted, so I wasn’t left with cold, soft edges like I have been when using some toasters with smaller slots.
The crumb tray is built in, but slides out for easy cleaning. However, because the outer material is a very shiny stainless steel, it picks up finger marks extremely easily, so you may have a job on your hands keeping it nice and polished.
Buy now £99.00, Procook.co.uk
Lakeland stainless steel four-slice toaster
Best: Four-slice toaster
Size: 29cm x 28.5cm x 20.5cm
Toaster capacity: Four slices
Functions: Defrost, bagel, ‘lift and see’
Material: Stainless steel
Browning settings : Six
Wattage : 1,900-2,300W
Why we love it
- Four-slice capacity
- Fits large slices
- Modern design
Take note
- You have to use the left side first
- Fingerprints show easily
The stainless steel exterior of this four-slice toaster looks the part. Plus, this is a good option if you like homemade bread, because it has extra-wide slots, and fits slightly longer slices, too.
It’s pretty basic in terms of functions. It has a defrost and bagel setting, which can be activated by pressing the buttons on the front of the toaster. There’s a dial at the base that allows you to set the browning level, but this controls both sides, which means you can’t cater to two different preferences simultaneously.
Considering it’s stainless steel, it doesn’t get too hot on the outside, although if you do have a home with young children, you may want to keep an eye on it so they don’t touch it whilst it’s on. I also noticed that the cable is very short, which may be restrictive when it comes to placement on the countertop, but this could be a safety feature to ensure it doesn’t get knocked off the side.
One strange feature of this toaster is that you have to use the left side of the toaster first – if you don’t press it down, you can’t use the right-hand side. Whilst this is fine once you know about it, there’s no mention of it in the instructions, so it took a little working out to realise that the toaster wasn’t broken. It’s easy to clean, although the stainless steel does mean fingerprints show up easily.
Buy now £59.99, Lakeland.co.uk
Sage toast select luxe
Best: Toaster for bagels and crumpets
Size: 20.9cm x 20cm x 34.1cm
Toaster capacity: Two slices
Functions: Six bread settings, ‘a bit more’, ‘a quick look’, frozen
Material: Brushed stainless steel
Browning settings : Six
Wattage : 840-1000W
Why we love it
- Has preset bread types
- LED light indicates how much time is left
- Can easily check on your toast
Take note
- The outside gets very hot
This is a compact option with capacity for two slices of bread. The slots are not wide, but they are deep, so if you’re toasting a long slice of sourdough, you should get the majority of the slice inside the toaster. Made from brushed stainless steel, this will look good on any kitchen cabinet. Although be warned, it does get very hot on the outside and stays hot for quite a while after use.
One feature I absolutely love is the LED indicator on the front on the toaster, which lets you know how much toasting time is left. This is invaluable if you don’t want the rest of your breakfast to get cold whilst you’re waiting for your toast. I also like the ‘quick look’ function, which lets you pop the bread up to see whether it’s at your desired level of toasted, and then put it back down without having to start the process again.
The toaster is also easy to use, with all the functions well labelled. The toaster has six preset toast types, including white, brown, grain, rye, fruit, and crumpet, so it takes the guesswork out of how long you need to toast your bread for. To the front is the dial that allows you to select your bread type, and opposite is the LED timer. Then, to the side there are three buttons, including one for ‘a bit more/reheat’ and one to toast bread from frozen.
The high push-up is helpful when you’re toasting smaller bits of bread, as it’s easy to get them out without risking burning your fingers. Plus, the toaster is easy to clean, as the crumb tray pulls out from the side, although it did feel a bit flimsy and plasticky compared to the rest of the toasters I tested.
Buy now £109.95, Sageappliances.com
Tefal majestuo touch screen two-slice toaster
Best: Two-slice toaster
Size: 19.70cm x 19.70cm x 32.60cm
Toaster capacity: Two slices
Functions: Defrost, reheat, a favourite shortcut
Material: Stainless steel
Browning settings : Seven
Wattage : 1,050W
Why we love it
- Intuitive design
- Works quickly
- Has a keep warm function
Take note
- Not great for long or thick slices
With a sleek and stylish design complete with an LED display, this two-slice toaster looks quite high-tech at first glance, but actually, it’s pretty basic. The controls are intuitive, and can be operated using the touch screen. First, you select your ideal toasting level, which ranges from one to seven, and if you’re a creature of habit, there’s a button to set your favourite level without having to cycle through them every time.
There is also a keep warm function, a defrost function and a timer that counts down until the toast is ready. Plus, the toaster is easy to clean, thanks to the removable tray.
The toast cooked well, but I wouldn’t recommend this toaster if you prefer long slices of bread. When I tried toasting a longer slice of bread, I found that the edges toasted quickly, but the middle didn’t quite get toasted enough. However, after cutting the bread down to size, it worked perfectly and produced an evenly toasted slice. If you do prefer longer slices, you’d be better off going with the ProCook 4 slice long toaster (£99, Procook.co.uk).
Buy now £99.99, Johnlewis.com
Morphy Richards cassini four-slice toaster
Best: Toaster for families
Size: 20.6 x 31.7 x 29.7cm
Toaster capacity: Four slices
Functions: Defrost, reheat, individual controls for each side
Material: Stainless steel and plastic
Browning settings : Six
Wattage : 1,800W
Why we love it
- Four toasting slots
- Easy to use
- Each side toasts independently
Take note
- The slots aren’t big enough for larger slices of bread
What’s great about this toaster is that each side can function independently. This means that if you’re only toasting two slices, you don’t have to heat the whole toaster. Plus, you can use different toasting levels, from one to five, for each side, at the same time.
The design is compact for a four-slice toaster, so it sits neatly on the kitchen counter without taking up too much room. It looks premium, but some parts feel plasticky. Nonetheless it’s lightweight, so if you store your toaster away after use, you should be able to move this around easily.
Straightforward to use, it has a defrost button, a cancel button, and one of my favourite features, a reheat button, which warms up cold toast without burning it. The toaster works quickly, and toast comes out evenly, with the edges that didn’t get burnt.
The crumb tray is removable and easy to get in and out, so I found cleaning it to be easy. I also found that the plastic, hexagon pattern finish doesn’t show greasy fingerprints like a smooth high-shine design would, which is another tick for the design.
Buy now £79.99, Morphyrichards.co.uk
Toastly smart two slice toaster
Best: Smart toaster
Size: 26cm × 15.5cm × 18cm
Toaster capacity: Two slices
Functions: Crumpets, defrost, bagel, waffle
Material: Stainless steel
Browning settings : Six
Wattage : 880W
Why we love it
- Fits longer slices of bread
- Works well across bread types
- Easy to clean
Take note
- Some may find it too complicated
If you’re into your kitchen gadgets, you need to have this toaster on your radar. Toastly’s two-slice toaster will take any guesswork out of making your perfect slice of toast, thanks to its digital panel that gives you a visual guide of toast colours. And it doesn’t just do toast, it can handle bagels and waffles, too.
The slots are wide and deep, so you can easily slot longer slices of bread inside. Even though it may look complicated to use, it’s incredibly intuitive. Just select your bread style, then choose the shade of toast that appeals to you the most, and it will get to work. I tried all the different settings and it was very accurate, time after time giving the same results.
If you’re toasting a shorter slice of bread, the high carriage lift means you can get the slice out easily without burning your fingers. The toaster is also easy to clean, thanks to the pop-out crumb tray, And, surprisingly, the outside doesn’t get too hot when in use, despite being made from stainless steel.
Buy now £47.49, Amazon.co.uk
What is the best toaster?
This depends on how many slices you like to toast at once, what kind of bread you use, and whether you think it’ll look good in your kitchen. However, my favourite toaster was the Salter alchemy, as it has a four-slice capacity, toasts quickly, and delivers consistent results, all for a good price point, too.
I did also fall in love with the Toastly. This high-tech little gadget put a bit of fun into our daily toast. And if you like longer slices of bread, then I would recommend the ProCook stainless steel long slot toaster, perfect for sourdough bread.
How to clean a toaster
Cleaning your toaster might not be top of your to-do list, but giving it a quick spruce every so often will help your toast taste better and make your appliance last longer. Crumbs left in your toaster can also be a potential fire hazard, so it’s a task worth staying on top of.
Before you clean your toaster, make sure that it’s unplugged and cooled down. Pull out the crumb tray, empty it into the bin and wash it with warm, soapy water. Leave it to dry completely before slotting it back into the appliance. Shake your toaster over the bin a few times to remove crumbs inside, then give the outside a wipe with a damp cloth and a small drop of washing up liquid to remove any stains.
For more recommendations, read our review of the best air fryers
